About Tooks, cooks and a Dragon
by LittleBiscuit
Summary: Mischievous Hobbits, Adventures and a birthday party.


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**About Tooks, cooks and a Dragon**

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It was a nice day in Tookland, the sun was not yet high up in the sky and most of the hobbits were just beginning with their elevenses, and so were two young hobbits in the Great Smials of Tuckborough. The two hobbits were quite invisible to anyone who came marching down the hallway, and the only way they were noticeable was because of the occasional hairy hobbit feet that could be seen from around the corner. 

It was not uncommon for these hobbits to hide before luncheon, because the large blueberry waffles they were now eating were still warm and were actually meant as dessert for that evening meal.

"A shame we can't compliment the cook, because these are quite terrific." Spoke the youngest of the hobbits, Peregrin 'Pippin' Took, between two bites. The older one, Meriadoc 'Merry' Brandybuck, swallowed the last bit of his catch and licked his fingers clean, soon mimicked by the 12-year old. "I suppose we could always leave a note to thank her." Pippin suggested.

"Don't be daft, that would only make her angrier. What would you write? '_Dear Cookie, we would like to express our deepest appreciation of your waffles, they are to die for. Do make sure you let it be known when you plan on making more, we will make sure to nick it. Signed: The Anonymous Twins' ... _

_PS: We would appreciate you placing them close to an open window when done, we offer our thanks in return.' _" Merry said in a voice that sounded as if he was reading it out loud. Pippin tried to hide his giggling by stuffing a fist in his mouth.

" ' The Anonymous Twins?' " He asked, still giggling, eyeing his cousin with curious green eyes. Merry shrugged. "Or something in that general direction." He answered, grinning himself. Just then, thunderous footsteps were heard coming from down the hall.

"If I get my hands on those two...!" Came the angry voice of the same cook they had been talking about, and suddenly all urges to compliment her and her cooking vanished as quick as snow before the sun. Merry and Pippin looked at each other in shock "Uh-oh." Merry mouthed, and jumped up. "Quickly, emergency plan B, cousin Frodo just arrived this morning. If we hurry we could make it." He whispered and they both rounded the corner and ran for their lives.

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'Cousin' Frodo was just sitting down at the desk in his guest room at that very moment. He had traveled to the Great Smials to visit some of his family, especially his two younger cousins who he had been aching to see, and Pippin's older sister Pearl's 25 birthday party made a great excuse to do this. Also, he had taken with him a gift for Pippin's oldest sister, Bilbo had come across it three years prior. And he had told Frodo to give it to Pearl when she turned 25. It was a rather beautiful necklace that had been Bilbo's. Bilbo's mother had gotten it from her mother when she had turned 25. It was almost a tradition. When Bilbo's mother had died, it had been given to him. But since he was no lass, it wasn't meant for him, nor Frodo. It seemed only right now to give it back to the Tooks, to their oldest daughter. He opened up his book and dipped his quill in the ink. Before he could begin to write, however, the door flew open and his two cousins came inside, slightly out of breath and looking a bit worried. They both quickly smiled when they saw Frodo staring at them, eyebrows raised.

"Hullo Frodo!" Merry began, quickly striding towards the bookshelf and getting a random book, before seating himself opposite of Frodo and opening the book somewhere in the middle. "We thought we'd might find you here." And with that he began reading.

If Pippin thought this was strange, he did not show it as he himself took another seat next to Frodo and gently took over the quill (which was now slowly dripping ink on the blank page of the book) from the rather perplexed looking older Hobbit with a polite "_thank_ you" and began scribbling down vague things on a blank piece of paper that was in front of him.

Frodo was just about to say something about the whole sequence of strange events that had left him quite dumbfounded, when the door opened for a second time, and now revealed a more-than-slightly-angry-looking-cook in the doorway. The elderly woman, who had curly brown hair which was longer than most Hobbits her age, was known for her good cooking and not for her forgiving nature towards kitchen thieves. Frodo's eyes moved from the steaming mad cook towards his two cousins who both looked up rather calmly, but not before Pippin shot him a short pleading look. And suddenly he understood what was going on.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took!" Began the cook as she spotted her prey and did a step forward. Frodo, who was quite keen on spending some time with his cousins this week hadn't come all this way to see them disappear for the rest of the month doing who-knows-what for tasks down in the kitchens, got up quickly. "Is there a problem Miss Whitefoot?" He asked with a concerned voice. Miss Whitefoot appeared to only notice Frodo just now and her anger seemed to change in confusion.

"Well, er, no. Yes! Yes, there is actually, Mr. Baggings." The old cook answered, eyeing Pippin, who had abandoned writing things down to look at Frodo, suspiciously. "These two have gone and done some stealin', they have!" She said, her anger from before flaring a bit up again. Frodo frowned at this, and stepped back from his chair to face Miss Whitefoot entirely.

"Are you quite sure they did this? It's wrong to go and accuse someone who is entirely innocent of such a deed." Even as he said this, it took quite some willpower to not laugh out loud. As if nobody knew that the two inseparable cousins were always stealing food from the kitchens or getting themselves into trouble some other way. They weren't called the 'Mischievous Twins' for no reason. But, Frodo reminded himself, he was here to play a role and save his cousins. Better not to ruin it now. As if Merry wanted to back up Frodo's words, his expression changed as if he was deeply offended with Miss Whitefoot accusing him of stealing.

Miss Whitefoot temporarily didn't know what to say. Did she dare argue with Mr. Baggings? She took a deep breath and put her chest forward, not giving up this easily. "Now, I happen to know that this morning these two youngsters were--" She was cut off when Frodo quickly finished the sentence for her. "Were here all this time, Mr. Merry has been holding us company while I've been giving young Pippin here some advanced writing lessons." He said, nodding towards Merry."And it's also about time you return to them, Pip." Frodo finished, giving Pippin a stern look.

The youngster understood and quickly returned to his writing, scribbling his name over and over again on the piece of paper, temporarily forgetting (in his excitement to see who would win the argument) that he had been past that writing level for years. Luckily, Miss Whitefoot didn't notice this. Instead she cast a quick look on Merry. Merry, in return, looked straight back at her, while quickly hiding the book's title (Rare Flowers and Plants - a Gardener's Dream by Dandow Brownhollow ) behind his hand. He was quite certain she wouldn't buy that he had gotten a sudden obsession with gardening.

After a moment or two, in which the cook glared at both Pippin and Merry for a bit. She returned her attention back on Frodo, who was waiting patiently for her to answer.

"Very well then. " She grumbled and glared at Frodo, too. She took her leave, turned, glared some more, and closed the door. Only after her footsteps had died away, Pippin dared to look up from his work. Merry clapped his book shut and stood, grinning.

"That was brilliant, dear Frodo!" He laughed and gave his older cousin a warm hug, soon joined in by Pippin.

"It seems every time I see you, the two of you have gotten yourself in trouble and I have to get you out of it!" Frodo said, grinning himself while he said it.

"You're our decoy." Pippin answered smartly. "Our Emergency Plan." Frodo frowned at this.

"Merely an Emergency Plan now, am I?" He said, trying to look insulted. Pippin looked up quickly, slightly afraid to have hurt his older cousin's feeling. "You know you're much more than that, Frodo! We're quite glad to see you, actually." The teen said. "And not just because you were our Emergency Plan, either." He hastily added, a slight frown on his face. Frodo laughed at this and ruffled Pippin's hair (which caused loud protest)

"Don't worry Pip, I don't mind being the decoy." He answered. This seemed to brighten up the younger Hobbit.

"Great! Now, it's nice outside, and Merry and I've been planning on going on an adventure!" The 12-year old seemed almost to shake with excitement. "Like Uncle Bilbo!" With that he grabbed one of the old walking sticks that hung besides the door and climbed on his chair. "And we'll battle a dragon and come home rich!" He exclaimed and mimicked fighting with a sword with the walking stick.

"And you'll be known in the whole of the Shire, Pip, for slaying that dragon. And the Hobbit lasses will be standing in line for you." Merry said, ducking quickly enough to avoid Pippin's 'sword' when it went a little too far into his direction. Pippin's face wrinkled up in light confusion and he stood still for a second or two. "Why would they stand in line for me?" He said, and hopped off his chair. Frodo laughed as Merry gave him The Look. Merry shrugged and returned his attention to Pippin, who was now attacking Frodo by poking him repeatedly in his leg.

"You should come, too, Frodo! It'll be great!" The young Hobbit said and looked up. "I think I'll pass, Pippin, but thank you for the offer." Frodo answered and walked towards his door. "I need to go and see your parents now, and you sister, Pearl, because I've brought her something for her birthday tomorrow." Both Merry and Pippin just stared at their older cousin in confusion. "You're giving_ her_ something? Why ever would you do that?" Merry asked. It was normal for Hobbits to give others presents when it was your birthday, not the other way around.

"I'll guess you'll see." Frodo said and smiled, and with that he turned and left both his cousins alone.

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**To be continued**

Any comments welcome :)


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